Sunday was a strange game for Dundee United, not what we usually see from the Tangerines.
Tam Courts will have been very frustrated at the way his team played.
Usually we see them struggle a bit in attack but defend well.
In the 3-2 defeat to Hearts they showed real quality to get the goals but the ones conceded were poor.
Straightforward passes from Hearts just weren’t defended by the United backline.
Tired?
To me, the players looked a bit tired.
When you look at them not being able to hold onto leads, I think that’s an issue.
It was a big game and a bit too easy for Hearts to get their goals.
It was an opportunity for United against a Jambos side who had made a few changes and they got off to the perfect start.
But United didn’t kick on from the opening goal in the way they should have.
It was like they scored and then sat back, sat deeper and allowed Hearts to get back into the game.
It looked like there was probably a lack of communication at the back for the second and third goals, which is completely unlike United’s backline.
I don’t think Benjamin Siegrist will be happy with the first goal conceded either, not by the standards he has set during his time at the club.
He’s been off the boil lately.
Classy goals
But the goals scored by United were classy.
Dylan Levitt’s individual run and finish showed his quality while Ryan Edwards has been a real standout this season.
And he showed the confidence he has to step out of defence, beat a man and find the far corner.
But, as good as those moments were, United will be really frustrated they couldn’t get a result at the weekend.
With Ross County and Motherwell losing, it was a chance wasted to take proper control of the race for fourth place.
I hope it doesn’t haunt them.
Dangerous Motherwell
Those two have now got games against the Old Firm out of the way as well.
The defeat also piles the pressure on for this weekend’s home clash with Motherwell.
The Steelmen have been a strange side this season.
Whenever I’ve seen them against United – and against Dundee – they’ve not shown much.
But they got themselves into the top six.
There is a dangerous side to them because you never really know which Motherwell is going to turn up.
Courts and his players need to be wary of that because it’s a huge game.
And any further tiredness will likely be punished.
Back-to-back games against Rangers and then Celtic makes it crucial.
You don’t want to be going into those games needing to get something.
A four-point gap would be a big one with three games to go, that’s the prize on offer for the Tangerines at Tannadice this Saturday.
European football next season could well rest on the result of this game.
